How to prepare if you or someone in your life has access or functional needs
September is National Preparedness Month (NPM). It is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care for emergencies and disasters. This September, please prepare and plan in the event you must go for three days without electricity, water service, and access to a supermarket, or local services for several days. Just follow these four steps:
- Be Informed
- Make a Plan
- Build a Kit
- Get Involved
If you or someone close to you has a disability or other access or functional needs, you may have to take additional steps to protect yourself and your family. Each person’s needs and abilities are unique, but every individual can take important steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies and put plans in place. By evaluating your own personal needs and making an emergency plan, you can be better prepared for any situation.
- Consider how a disaster might affect your individual needs or the needs of someone you care for
- It’s possible that you will not have access to a medical facility or even a drugstore. Plan to make it on your own, at least for a period of time.
- Identify what kind of resources you use on a daily basis and what you might do if they are limited or not available.
- Build a Kit with your unique consideration in mind. What do you need to maintain your health, safety and independence?
For more information, check out:
- Ready.gov/individuals-access-functional-needs
- FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
- https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/disability.htm
- “Preparing Makes Sense for People with Disabilities and Other Access and Functional Needs” Video below (Closed Captioning and American Sign Language)